Koko the Clown tries a mad scientist's formula on various animals.Koko the Clown tries a mad scientist's formula on various animals.Koko the Clown tries a mad scientist's formula on various animals.
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Featured review
Ko-Ko and the chemist
Dave Fleischer was responsible for many gems. Ones that were amusing and charming, though over-cuteness did come through in some efforts and the stories were always pretty thin, with appealing characters, outstanding music and visuals that were inventive and with innovative animation techniques.
Ko-Ko similarly was an always amiable character to watch and among the better recurring characters in Fleischer's early work. Likewise, his series of Out of the Inkwell cartoons were among the best early efforts of Fleischer and silent cartoons in general. There are certainly far better Ko-Ko cartoons than 'Chemical Ko-Ko'. Having said that, it's still an enjoyable enough effort.
Like all Ko-Ko cartoons, there is not much special or anything much for that matter to the story, although the idea is fun if not the most creative. Other cartoons before and since are livelier in pace too, momentum is not always consistent it felt here.
A couple of the gags could have been more inventive and wild and unfortunately there are splashes of some questionable material, especially the opening sequence.
Having said that, there is a good deal to like here. It is amusing, with delightful character interplay and the animation and the live action, together and individually, are handled very well.
One expects the animation to be primitive and very low quality, judging by that it's the early 20s when animation techniques were not as many, as refined, as ambitious and in their infancy. While Fleischer became more refined and inventive later certainly, the animation is surprisingly good with some nice visual wackiness and wit. The live action is nicely shot.
Most of the pacing is breezy enough and most of the gags are very amusing, clever and well timed, increasingly so when Ko-Ko's antics get wilder. Koko as ever is very likeable and fun to watch. The chemist is a good addition too, if no Max.
In summation, decent and enjoyable but Ko-Ko has done better. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Ko-Ko similarly was an always amiable character to watch and among the better recurring characters in Fleischer's early work. Likewise, his series of Out of the Inkwell cartoons were among the best early efforts of Fleischer and silent cartoons in general. There are certainly far better Ko-Ko cartoons than 'Chemical Ko-Ko'. Having said that, it's still an enjoyable enough effort.
Like all Ko-Ko cartoons, there is not much special or anything much for that matter to the story, although the idea is fun if not the most creative. Other cartoons before and since are livelier in pace too, momentum is not always consistent it felt here.
A couple of the gags could have been more inventive and wild and unfortunately there are splashes of some questionable material, especially the opening sequence.
Having said that, there is a good deal to like here. It is amusing, with delightful character interplay and the animation and the live action, together and individually, are handled very well.
One expects the animation to be primitive and very low quality, judging by that it's the early 20s when animation techniques were not as many, as refined, as ambitious and in their infancy. While Fleischer became more refined and inventive later certainly, the animation is surprisingly good with some nice visual wackiness and wit. The live action is nicely shot.
Most of the pacing is breezy enough and most of the gags are very amusing, clever and well timed, increasingly so when Ko-Ko's antics get wilder. Koko as ever is very likeable and fun to watch. The chemist is a good addition too, if no Max.
In summation, decent and enjoyable but Ko-Ko has done better. 6/10 Bethany Cox
helpful•10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Mar 7, 2018
Details
- Runtime8 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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